> Robert Green wrote: > > >Your idea of just leaving the cover off is less efficient than a > >well-designed case with good air flow via a case fan, unless you're > >going to use a room fan to blow into the open case (or other method > >to increase the air flow across the components). > >
I agree with this in theory but I have not seen it in real life. I have two computers with MB/CPU temperature monitors. Both temperatures run roughly 10F cooler on both computers with the case off. Maybe these are not well designed cases but I have not seen generic ATX or AT designs that were really any different elsewhere. Proprietary cases on mass produced PC's do seem to have some flow characteristics designed into them but they usually include some type of ducting to get it done.
